The present technology relates to a microchip, a liquid sample supply device in which the microchip is used, a method of supplying the liquid sample, and an analysis device. More specifically, it is related to a technology for supplying the liquid sample including a sample to a flow path which is provided in the microchip.
In recent years, a microchip has been developed in which a fine flow path or an area for performing chemical and biological analysis are formed in a substrate which is formed of an inorganic material such as silicon and glass, or a polymeric material such as plastic by applying a fine processing technology in a semiconductor field. Such a microchip has been widely used in various fields recently, such as flow cytometry or small electrochemical sensors used in medical fields, since it can perform measuring with a small sample, be manufactured at low cost, and be disposable.
In general, when performing an analysis using the microchip, a connector, a tube, and the like are connected to an opening (supply port) which is provided on the surface of the chip, and the liquid sample is introduced in the chip through these (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-271717). In such a supply method in the related art, it is possible to prevent dust or the like from being mixed in the liquid sample by providing a diffusion mechanism for preventing precipitation in a vessel to which the liquid sample is input, and by disposing a filter in the middle of the tube, or in a feed orifice. In addition, in the related art, a microchip in which a filter is embedded at a part of the flow path has also been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-8880).
In addition, a method of supplying the liquid sample in which a connector or tube is not used has been proposed, as well (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-64545, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-133843). For example, in the microchip which is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-64545, it is configured such that a sample chamber for communicating with the flow path is provided, and the liquid sample is injected to the sample chamber. In addition, in a method of supplying the liquid sample which is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-133843, a fine pore is provided in a vessel to which the liquid sample is input, and the liquid sample in the vessel is directly supplied into the flow path of the microchip by directly connecting the pore to the feed orifice of the liquid sample which is provided in the microchip.